The Stuart family has had several dogs treated for cancer at Colorado State University, including Keester, left, who is now undergoing treatment for a tumor of the nervous system. Credit: Colorado State University

Nan Stuart’s golden retriever, Keester, is a trained service dog that can perform emergency rescues from swift water and ice. When she was diagnosed with a malignant tumor off the spinal cord, the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center developed a radiation protocol and rehabilitation plan that alleviated her pain, dramatically improving her quality of life.

That CSU team, which Stuart has dubbed “Team Keester” is one of the reasons she and her family have donated $10 million to the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center. The donation comes from The Hadley and Marion Stuart Foundation, led by Nan and her sibling, Brett. The $10 million is the single largest contribution in the history of CSU’s Flint Animal Cancer Center. The donation will nearly double operational funds for the center.

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